Ear shaper and protector



EAR SHAPER AND PROTECTOR Filed Dc. 18, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1 I Y l HL 4 UDWIG J UROVATY l/NVEN'TOR I /zor l V I ATTORNEY Jan. 18, 1944. .JuRovA'rY EAR SHAPER AND PROTECTOR '2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed pee. l18, 1942 LUDWIG J URovA'rY INVENTOR l Patented Jan. 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EAR SHAPER AND PROTECTOR Ludwig Jurovaty, New York, N. Y., assigner of lifty per cent to Anna. Jurovaty, New York,

Application December 18, 1942, Serial No. 469,405

(Cl. 12S-76) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to an ear shaper and protector for the human ears, and the main object of my invention is to provide a sanitary device of the character described which is light and comfortable to wear, can be quickly placed in position and removed, and which can be Worn at all times as an ear shaper by anyone having irregular shaped ears, thereby aiding the ear to grow in normal position and hence improve the appearance.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described, having on the inside thereof a flexible rubber tube insertable into the ear canal to aid in the hearing of men and Women who have normal hearing who may be working in kitchens, machine shops and factories Where dirt and grease would tend to accumulate in the ears and thereby impede the normal hearing of such a person. A still further object is to provide a neat, compact and durable device of the character described Which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture which may be used by men, women and children, which shall be attractive in appearance, preferably made from Celluloid, plastic, or any other suitable material, streamlined and neat in appearance, and yet practical and eicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application Will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an ear sha-per and protector embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of right and left ear protectors;

Fig. '7 is a front View of the ear plate;

Fig. 8 is a front view of my imroved device With the ear plate removed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the ear rubber tube; and

Fig. 10 is a front View of the ear plate spring.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, IB designates an ear Shaper and protector embodying my invention. The same comprises a channel shaped guide II having an inner Wall I2, an outer wall I3 and an interconnecting Web I4. Fixed to walls I2, I3 are a pair of parallel pins I6 and I'I. Walls I2, I3 are interconnected by hinge eyes I8 supporting a hinge pin I9. vHinged on said pin I9 is an ear plate 23 having an outer wall 2| and an inner wall 22 forming a slot or chamber 23 to receive a piece of gauze 24. Inner wall 22 has an opening 25 and is formed with a tubular nange projection 26 at said opening, adapted to project into the ear cavity. The outer wall 2| is formed with perforations 28 opposite openings 25, to facilitate passage of soundthrough plate 20.

Plate 20 has pivot eyes Zta registering with eyes I3, to receive the pivot or hinge pin I9. Plate 20 is thus hinged to guide II by means of the hinge pin I9.

Slot 23 extends to the inner edge of plate 2l) so that the piece of gauze may be removed and replaced. Slot 23 has wings 29 at its inner end for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

On hinge pin I9 is a torsion spring 3l having outer arms 32 received in slot portions 29, and a central arm 33 projecting into the guide member II. Thus the torsion spring causes the plate 20 to press against the ear to keep it against the head.

yPlate 20 thus has the dual purpose of shaping the ear and keeping out dirt from the ear.

A Means is provided for mounting the device IIJ on the ear. To this end there is slidably mounted in guide I I, a pair of bars 40, 4I projecting from the upper and lower ends of guide I I. Bars 40, 4| are formed with longitudinal slots 40a, 4Ia through which pass pins I6 and Il, respectively. Bar 40 has a pair of aligned hinge eyes 43 receiving a hinge pin 44. Pivoted thereto is a hooked or curved arm 45 adapted to engage the top of the neck of the ear, between the ear and the head. Arm 45 has hinge eyes 46 receiving pin 44. On pin 44 is a torsion spring 41 to normally retain arm 45 in the plane of the guide II but permitting flexibility in the connection.

Bar 4I has hinge eyes 48 receiving a hinge pin 49 aligned with pin 4I. Hinged to pin 49 is a hooked or curved arm 50 having a pair of eyes 5I to receive said pin 49. On said pin 49 is a torsion spring 52 normally maintaining arm 53 in the plane of guide Il but also providing for a flexible connection.

It will now be understood that hooked arms 45, 50 engage the ears to keep the device Hl thereon. Bars 40, 4I are interconnected by a tension spring 60 located within guide I|,`to draw the hooks 45, 50 toward the ear.

A exible .rubber tube 6I, somewhat conical in. shape may* be tted, atgits large end onto tubular ange 26. Said tubular flange 26 as Well as flexible rubber tube 6I project toward the canal of the ear. The rubber tube 6l helps keep out grease and dirt and increases hearing.'` Part? of:

the ear 62, known as the tragus, as shown inthe drawings, sets onto the tragus 62S to hold. the

ear shaper and protector device in proper position thereon.

Device IIJ may be used by men, womenor children. When used by children, the rubber tube 6| should be left off.

Plate .201 may be 'made'l of two platesipa'stedor attached together. Plate 20 may be made of plastic4 material,- ora-nyu other suitable material.

Itf will: thus*A be seenthat there isiprovided a device in which the'severall objects ofthis invention are achieved, andwhicl'i isjwell adapted to meet`v the conditions. of practical` use.

As variouspossible embodimentsfmightbe `made of the-above invention, andV asf various changes mightbe madefinl the= embodiment abovefset forth, it is-tolbe understood thatall matter here in set `forthA or shown in the accompanying drawingst isto be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.-

Having thus describedmyinvention, IA claim as newand desire to secure-byLettersf Patent:

11; A device ofthe character described comprisingf, aY guide, a" platehinged'tliereto on a spring hinge, a-parof bars slidable'on said guide,- al tension spring interconnecting said-bars', -a'ndfafpair ofc-hooked; arms hinged" toA said bars,l respectively, on spring'A hinges.-

2. A device ofthecharacter'described comprising, a guide, a plate hinged thereto-on aspring hinge; a pair of barsslid'able rorr saidguide; a tension spring interconnecting saidf bars, a; pair of hooked arms-hingedto said bars, respectively, on spring,` hinges; said plate-having perforations, and a pieceof transparente linenA covering' said perforations.

3: A-L devicel ofthe character described comprising,` a; guide; a plate' hinged theretok on a spring hinge, a pair-of lbars'slidable` on said-` guide, a tension,V spring interconnecting .said bars, apair of 'hooked -arms=hinged to` said`A bars, respectively, on springhinges, saidV plate' having-perforationsg a pieceof transparent linen covering saidperforations, and a tube attached to said plate and adapted to project into the cavity of the human ear.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a member, a plate adapted to press against the human ear, hinged to said member, and a pair of hooked arms on said rst member adapted to engage behind theear aboveand below the Same.

5. A device of the character described, com- Iprising a, member, a plate adapted to press against the human ear, hinged to said member, a

:pair of: hooked arms on said first member adapted to engage behind the ear above and below the same, said platebeing perforated and a removable foraminoussheet on said plate covering said perforations.

6 A device of the character described, comprising av member, a plate adapted to press against the human ear, hinged to said member, a pair of hooked arms on said rst member adaptedztozengagez behind the ear'above and'below the same, saidplate. being perforated. and aremovable foraminous sheet onsaid plate covering said perforations, and a exiblefrubber tube onsaid plate and. adaptedA to project into the cavity of the ear,` the mouthv ofl said flexible' rubber tube being covered by said foraminousv sheet.

7. An. ear shaper'and-protector, comprising a channelled guide, a plate hinged to said guide on va, spring hinge, a pair of bars slidably mounted intheiends of said-guide and 'projectingltherefrom,v a tension. springy within saidA guide interconnecting said .'bars, hooked armsihinged'to said bars onL aligned. spring hinges, said plate rhavinga: slot and beingaformedwith an opening lcom-- municating.. with said: slot: and disposed on one side of4 said plate, saidiplatef being formed-with a tubular angesurrounding' said'opening, and withzperforations communicating' with said` open- 1118'.

8. An; ear. shaper and protector, :comprisingVV a ehanelled` guide, a plate' hingedto said guide ona springhinge, a pair of bars slidably mountedon theizends; of-fsaid guide and projecting therefrom, altensicn spring'withirr said guide interconnecting said bars, hookedarmsihinged'to said bars on aligned springhinges, saidplate'having a slot and being formedy with. an opening communicating with said.' slot and disposed on oner sider of said plate,y said plate being formed with a tubular flange.l surrounding said opening; with perforations communicating.' with saidv opening, and'a generally conicalflexible rubber tube havr ing itslarge` end'engaging said 'tubularl flange.

LUDWIG JUROVATY. 

